


Old wounds and new ones

by Lynn_Nexus



Series: Tsune [2]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: AU, Angst, Deception, F/M, Forced Pregnancy, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 14:13:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11254599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lynn_Nexus/pseuds/Lynn_Nexus
Summary: Set in my AU, Mid way through the Cannon series.Tsune runs into InuYasha and gets entangled in Naraku's web with the rest of the InuYasha characters.  All sorts of old wounds and some new ones get opened up along the way.





	Old wounds and new ones

**Author's Note:**

> K, this is really old too, but it's seen more recent love, going through to give it the proper tags to have the Italics and bolding where it belonged let me smooth this one out a lot more than the other story in this series, which makes me kinda wanna go back and fix up the other one... but GRAAAAH! that one needs way more work than this one did. 
> 
> This one is waaaay more serious face than the other one, gettin beyond light violence to some right proper fucked up shit. I torment my character quite a bit, and give in to some torment of the cannon characters too, so... yea. I'm mean.
> 
> If this would be easier to read chopped up into chapters lemme know. IDK what a good chapter length is but this 21 page doc fit... so I just put the whole thing right there.

The young demoness sighed, more than a little annoyed and bored. The human man who had courted her for weeks lay in a puddle of his own blood whimpering as she licked the stuff from her hands. “Well dear, that was foolish. I was going to leave you and let you go back to your life. But no, you decided to attack me and you leave me no choice but to defend myself. Believe me I would have never allowed you to court me if I had known our fun would end like this.” The man whimpered again as the demoness nibbled her nail. “Demon! You have seduced me, my family was right! You never cared for me! Had I the strength I would slay you where you stand VILE CREATURE!” Suddenly the beautiful woman stood on silvered fox feet. Shiningly black and silver fur glistened in the moonlight. “Then I will leave you to grow strong.” She cooed, sickly sweet words turned harsh and sharp. “Shame that you were never strong enough to begin with. Now you must wallow in your own shame. I never wanted you to kill your wife... and your son? You disgust me.” 

The man gasped as the fox demoness leapt from sight. She ran off into the woods, irritated with the whining of her most recent toy. He would make her life obnoxious, she almost wished she had injured him mortally, then he wouldn't be able to bother her more. Likely he would claim that she had possessed him to kill his wife, or blame it on her totally. Demon slayers were problematic, though male ones could be dissuaded from attacking her at times. It was only a quick run until she nearly ran face first into a group of strange travelers. A young miko lead the group, a holy man, a demon slayer, a half blood dog demon and… A little demon fox kit! He was lounging in the miko’s arms before Tsune showed up but now he was hiding behind her shoulder peaking fearfully over at her.

“Hello baby cousin.” Tsune purred at the kit. “Wuwuwuhat are you talking about?” Tsune furrowed her brow and tilted her head. The half dog spoke as the startled miko reached for her bow, the monk and slayer readied themselves. “I smell human blood all over her…” The miko yelped and the monk spoke “Sango! Take Kagome and Shippo on ahead, I think I see a castle.” The three plus a demon cat dashed past her as the Dog pulled his sword, he gripped the handle and showed it to be Tetsusaiga. Tsune’s eyes widened in shock then narrowed. “You are the younger son of the Lord? Yes, I can smell it... _faintly_... I see you gained his love of humans.” Tsune had a bit of distaste for humans at this exact moment, the man she had been toying with left her sour. It could be fun, to test them, tease them, make them doubt themselves but there was no sport in killing them. Either they screamed and fled or boasted full of bravado before they fell. What joy was there in such pathetic prey? No humans were best suited as toys and soldiers. Only the holy had any power and even that could be ignored if you were canny.

“What would you know about my father you despicable wench?” The pair charged her, the inu swung, she could only guess he didn’t think he would need the famous wind scar for her. As a child she had been told famous tales about the Great Lords fearful power, his fantastic sword that he wielded with deadly efficacy. This was that sword. She had seen it only once but she would never forget the blade. “I know your father died to save you and your mother…” She hissed out, knowing this was the runt that had caused the downfall of the Great Lord. Tsune flicked her wrist and her weapon was in her hand, her father’s weapon. The chijiriki’s weight swung squarely into the side of the weapon as it narrowly missed her. “Fool! Why do you attack me? Human blood is not so precious that they can not spare a bit!” Her mocking tone belying her frustration at being attacked on sight.

The monk gasped in shock and horror. “Could she be some kind of vampiress? Feeding on the blood of humans to sustain herself?” Tsune narrowly dodged another swing from Tetsusaiga and charged the monk with a searing glare in her eyes. A carefully placed spear tip set the staff off balance and it’s head buried in the ground. “I am a _proper_ Youkai! Not some slithering demon reveling in blood for lust of power!” She quickly sent the weight into the monk’s gut before he could finish the hand motions to set sutras upon her. She was fast as lightning, the monk recovered but not for long, he grit his teeth as she neatly appeared in front of his face, making him reel back trying to get a swing in on her. He dashed to the side but was met with her knee to his side. “I shall give you proof!” As quickly as her words were out the winded monk was off his feet, picked up by the scruff like a mutt. Her voice lilted on the air behind her, carrying over the monks cries to his inu companion. “Follow me Dog, you will see who’s foul blood I spilt!” 

“MIROKU! Damn monk!” InuYasha snagged the monk’s lost weapon and gave chase. He caught up to her just shortly before the wall. “Let go of my _**friend**_!” Tsune cackled as the bared claws nearly hit the monk, she cast him into the waiting hands of his compatriot. “Have him! You make a cute couple!” She called behind her as she jumped the wall to the castle. “InuYasha! That’s the same castle we sent Kagome and the others to!” The half blood grabbed the tossed monk by the scruff and cast him onto his back so he could swiftly scale the wall.

Unfortunately for Tsune, just in case the demoness returned the lord of the house, the man she had been toying with, had one of the castles priests waiting for just such an occasion. He stood nearby with his wounds bound and a yukata draped over his shoulders. Kagome, Shippo and Sango were all discussing the fearful nature of the demons in the area when the demoness jumped the wall. Greeted with a bombardment of holy power, she was quickly knocked to the ground. She screamed like a caged animal at the sutra that found it’s place on her forehead. The hybrid form of half fox half woman melted into her human looking form. Black and silver fur giving way to pale skin and black hair, a long black and silver tail writhed under the layers of kimono that was flattened over it.

Shippo couldn’t quite help but feel pity for her as her voice fell to a whimper and he winced. As they moved in to kill her the little fox jumped in front of them, unprecedented bravado filled his tiny form. “Wait. Who did she kill!” The little fox demanded to any who would answer. “Shippo!” Kagome scolded but the little fox did not budge. “No Kagome! Who did she kill? Tell me and I will yield!” A soft whimper helped steel his fragile nerves as the guards looked down on him with malice. InuYasha lept the walls, depositing Miroku on his feet a few steps from the tiny kit. “Actually Kagome… He has a point… That's the guy I smelled...” InuYasha pointed to the bandaged Lord. “She seduced me and killed my wife! And my boy! Devoured him!” The lord shouted, his voice quivered as if on the verge of tears but there was a mad glint to his eye.

“LIAR! Ugh!” Tsune shouted back pointing then her clawed hand falling to the ground as though it were a rock. “You killed your wife and stabbed your son in the guts. Not only are you a failure as a husband and a father but you're a poor marksman!” She hissed, smug satisfaction dripping from her words. “You should have known your son to be DEAD before you say he has been killed!” The man looked resolute in his convictions though the glint of hysteria and madness showed more clearly now. “Temptress! More of your lies!” After a second of panting a low and soft chuckle came from the she fox. Her voice was light and lilting, only betraying the pain she was in when she took a breath. “I healed the wound in his gut and hid him in the cellar so that he might flee your black hearted ways…” A young well dressed man with a family resemblance to the lord came boldly around the corner even with his slight limp. “Trickery!” Cried the madman, wrenching a sword from a guard nearby, he ran forward to slay the demoness himself.

“Stop him!” the young man demanded. InuYasha was between the lord and Tsune as though he had always been there and halted the man's advance easily. “How bout you tell us who that guy is before you attack her again?” There was a particular seething to his voice that didn't give a rats ass that the man was rich and powerful. Shippo sighed, he had held his breath as he stood his ground in front of the innocent female fox and now was relived to have some backup. “Father how could you! First mother! Then me! Now her? Is there no end to your treachery?” The young man showed the signet ring that proved his right without a question to the guards who were muttering in wonderment that the young lord lived but had been helped by a demon. There was little time to react, the Lord flew into a rage and the sword he was going to use on Tsune was turned on the young man, his own son. “You covet her for yourself! I will slay all who try to take her from me!” Madness now clear he screamed at his son. The guards moved swiftly to hold him at bay, grabbing the lord around the waist and arms. “My father is sick. Please, for his own safety, lock him up until he can be cured of this fixation. And punished for the murder of his wife.” The young man was solemn as his father was lead away screaming.

He walked past the little fox and the now much more relaxed Inu to the languishing female. “You granted me my life, now I will grant you yours.” He said as he plucked the sutra from her forehead. She fell to the ground panting and began to lift herself back up. “Thank you cousin. And thank you prince.” The little fox turned to the woman and looked at her strangely. She had gathered her slightly battered form, her legs folded demurely under her kimono and the tiniest tip of the silver tail poked out as she fluffed the layers of fabric. “Why is it you keep calling me Cousin?” She scoffed as she caught her breath making a show of preening herself. “Because we are fox demons, kit. Where _I_ come from that _means_ something.” Her eyes rested on InuYasha, she knew who his father was and that he had attacked her without question. “Family ties and _loyalty_ run strong where I come from.” She turned her conversation towards the white haired mutt. “Your father would have it no other way… InuYasha.” InuYasha seemed unphased by her comment and just scoffed with his back turned.

Miroku, always one to help a lovely lady, moved up to offer her a hand up. “I must apologize, it is rare to meet a demon that shows restraint.” A quick glance over his shoulder put InuYasha into a yet fouler mood. “But how is it you saved the Lord’s son?” Tsune lifted an eyebrow as Miroku helped her to her feet. She smiled demurely as she enjoyed the glowering stare of the demon hunter. “Allow me to demonstrate Monk.” She cooed as she turned the given hand over. Shock flooded his features as she ran her razor sharp claw over the exposed palm. Miroku gasped, bleeding immediately and profusely from the slice, he tried to pull his hand away from her iron grip. As she dipped her head he gripped her shoulder to try to push her away, not knowing what she was doing, fear and panic taking over him for just an instant before he let out a breathy half exclamation. The moment her tongue prodded the wound he exhaled sharply and his struggle ended just as abruptly. “All right you!” Sango shouted as she advanced, Tsune was licking his palm and the whole group seemed as though they would converge upon her, the monk sedated to a nearly dope state. But when she lifted her head, it was as though the cut had never been there.

“A gift from my father.” She released the hand and Miroku looked at it in awe while Sango pulled him away from the fox. The group stopped on a dime to look at the no longer bleeding palm and slightly addled monk. “That felt kinda nice...” He spoke as though drunk, maybe even as though he'd like to feel more inebriated. Tsune winked at Sango who looked like she might explode with rage then sauntered out of the group to speak with the young man she'd saved. “I regret that my dealings with your family caused your mothers death and your fathers madness. Surely you can see this was never my intention...” The demoness bowed shallowly and the young man dipped his head to her. “While I wish I could offer you hospitality you have caused my house great trouble. Your life is all I’m able to offer you in return.” The fox woman smiled and nodded. “I will take my leave then. Perhaps we will meet again under better circumstances.”

She turned and began to walk out of the castle. The little fox felt torn, she had claimed that she was family, and now she was walking away. Just walking, no good bye, nothing more. “Wait. What’s your name?” The little fox piped up. “My name is Tsune. I am sure I will see you again cousin. Good bye for now.” And with a thought she was a beautiful black and silver fox, a little battered around the edges but still healthy enough to run out the front doors and into the woods. 

~~

There was one obnoxious thing about the damage that holy men did to a demon. It never healed like it should. It took days to lick the wounds back to health, hidden away in the forest moving each day for safety. Finally feeling like she was only bruised from the encounter she made her way to a hot spring to bathe. She changed into her human form and shed her kimono. She slipped into the water and sighed, the hot water was soothing to the aches and pains of her body. There was no rustle in the brush, no noise to alert her and no scent to caution her so she relaxed. The little voidling demon hid quietly in the bushes watching the most recent foe of InuYasha. After a moment of spying on her Kana retreated to Naraku’s hiding place to show him what she had learned.

“Mmmm a fine specimen Kana, you have done well. She will be easy enough to turn…” The dark haired abomination moved to stand and pulled a curtain aside to reveal the night sky. “She shall make a wonderful plaything. Time to set a trap.” The dark laughter filled the night air as a white monkey pelt dashed into the night.

Tsune sighed in the water, having finished soaking. It would be prudent to return home and see her parents, her mother would get miffed if she stayed gone too much longer. She didn’t like going home unless she was in good health because it caused her mother to worry. While some demons had no real family ties, the women of her line were very family oriented and with her father being canine he felt the strong urge to be in a pack and amongst his comrades. This was what had made her family such great vassals for the Great Dog Demon Lord. They were loyal, and once you gained their trust you need not worry that they might betray you. She always claimed that she came home to see her parents for their benefit but it wasn't true, she came home because she missed her family. After cleaning her kimono and inspecting the rather fine repair job she had done to it she put it back on and found a place to sleep for the night.

The trip took but two days and on the way home Tsune became excited to see her family. When she came close to the den her parents had taken up in, the quaint abandoned temple that the family had lived in after the end of the Great Lord, nearing it she could smell blood on the air. Pulse quickening Tsune upped her pace from brisk to a full run. When she came to the clearing it was too late. Clearly the fight had been short, her mother was still in her human form, neither her fastest form nor her strongest. Her father’s body draped over hers, apparently he had died protecting her fallen form from their attackers. Then out of the house stepped a familiar red robed youth, smelling of blood so badly she couldn't smell him. Her parents blood matted his silvered hair and a soft cackle echoed forth before he leapt into the tree line.

“Wretched CUR!” She screamed through her rage filled tears. She shifted and gave chase but as she chased he only seemed to gain distance from her. “InuYasha! I will KILL YOU!” she vowed as she broke off her chase to return to the bodies of her parents. The clearing in front of the temple was soaked in demon blood and the smell was drawing lessers from the woods. Jealously protective of her parent’s bodies Tsune fought them back with fervor. She knelt next to the small heap that was recently her mother and father, tears streaming down her cheeks and her eyes growing red. She fell forward onto her mother and father, their bodies lifeless but still warm to touch. Rolling her father onto his back she frantically tried to heal the pair back to life but they were long since gone. When she finally had to accept her parents were dead she got to work putting their bodies to rest. Her parents buried and covered in their blood Tsune entered their home. She shed the beautiful, ruined clothes as she moved towards the room that always had her things in it.

There was some water for her to clean herself with and clothes for her to change into so she did, then as quickly as she had come to the house she left it, having found what she needed to travel after the killer. She would track that halfblooded cur down and kill him on sight. The mystical box that her mother had given her held some extra clothes and all of her trinkets. As she stepped out of the house there was a demon clad in a monkey pelt kneeling in front of her parent’s graves. As soon as she saw him her father’s chain spear was in her hand. “You! Do not disturb my parent’s graves unless you want to offer your own corpse to the pile I've made!” She spat angrily. The monkey clad man stood and bowed to her.

“I do not wish to disturb them, I was merely paying my respects to the dead. The earth is freshly turned, it looks as though they were buried just today.” Tsune glared at the demon before her. “Yes and I am off to find their killer and repay him in kind. What is it to you?” A slight grin split his face and he held out his hand, a glittering jewel rest on his palm. “Clearly you loved your family deeply, may I offer my assistance? This is a fragment of the Jewel of four souls, with it your power will increase greatly.” Tsune looked at the hand for a long moment then narrowed eyes looked to the pelt. “I have no need for your false power. If I cannot avenge them with my own hands on my own power I have not avenged them. Now leave unless you desire to taste metal.” She hissed the words at him, her hackles raising as she prepared to shift and charge the fool who would dare come near her parents bodies. Who would dare offer her false power and seemed shocked she wasn't taking it.

“Well if that’s how you feel about it I shall take my leave.” The white pelt flew into the trees and was gone from sight. The female huffed in annoyance to herself. “Good riddance.” Tsune muttered as she shifted and made fast time in the direction that the half blood had fled in. She couldn't know Naraku had not yet given up. “She does not want my help but little does she know I will not be dissuaded so easily.” The monkey clad man made silently off after the woman he would have for his toy.

Tsune flew fast as she could until she couldn't move then rested when it was the only choice. Unfortunately the trail went cold after the first day and she began to feel lost. When despair washed over her it was quickly replaced by rage and she continued her traveling trying to find the rag tag group that held her parent’s murderer. Still, she saw glimpses of the white pelt out of the corner of her eye and could hear that voice on the wind, whispering things even she could not hear. It was becoming maddening. She no longer knew if she could trust her senses or if that man was just a figment of her strained mind. She couldn't remember his scent, couldn't call up his face from the shadow of the pelt, maybe she had dreamed him up?

Dirty and tired Tsune followed her nose to a hot spring and found herself face to face with a man from her past. The eldest son of the demon her parents had served so loyally and the brother of the bastard who had murdered them. He was ready to attack as she entered the clearing. The chijiriki was in her hand in a flash, the weight spinning menacingly. “You!” She spat at Sesshomaru, all she could see was a man who failed her parents. They had been friends in childhood, even lovers for a very short time in their adolescence, now he stood claws bared and she was ready to charge. The last time she had seen him he told her, enraged, he would forget her. Some sullen, quiet part of her mind noted, it seemed he had not lied. “Me? Insolent wench!” He seethed back at her. “He would have saved them!” She screeched as she swiped the air where Sesshomaru had just been, no where close to his equal. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, he did not know this demoness at sight yet she seemed to know him. “Know your place.” He growled out, her familiarity annoyed him, he lashed her once with his poisoned whip.

Normally Sesshomaru would have cut a demon of her power down without mercy but there was a tiny glimmer of familiarity to her, like he had known her in another life. He would beat her into submission and extract the answers he desired from her. She screamed in pain and turned hateful eyes on him. “Explain your rambling or I wall kill you.” Sesshomaru made his ultimatum clear. “Your father… He respected his vassals. He would have saved them. Even if it was that half blooded _Mutt_ brother of yours who killed them!” She was angry, not thinking, the only thing she knew was the rumor that Sesshomaru had been given his fathers other sword as his inheritance. Her father had spoke most reverantly about seeing that sword in action, that sword would have saved her parents in a heart beat.

More hatred bubbled up inside of the demon as he realized what it was she was talking about. This was some vassal of his father, some she-fox who thought _he_ owed her something. “I owe no debt to my fathers vassals.” He hissed as he grabbed the already tired and weak woman by the throat. As he held her aloft by her neck, the glimmer of memory expanded, he knew her. Yes, he knew her well. “Tsune.” She choked softly as he gripped her neck and she managed to get the spear tip into the meat of his shoulder but the wound did not seem to bother him. “You do not care to owe anything to _anyone_ Sesshomaru.” She hissed as she became too weak to try and harm him yet more. “Go on, be like your brother. _Murder me_.” She rasped out the scathing words, expending what little air she had left.

He dropped her unceremoniously and wrenched the chijiriki out of his shoulder, casting it aside, far out of reach. She coughed and sputtered then growled bitterly. “Still have no taste for my blood? Still I _languish_.” The comment did not do anything to improve his mood. Grabbing her by the functional kimono she wore he quickly threw her bodily into the water, following her in and pinning her body to a rock with his presence. “I owe nothing to my fathers wishes, nor to his vassals, nor the spoiled whelp given to me as a toy.” Tsune was weak from his poison, tired from travel, and decimated by grief, her body could not fight him, still she looked up at him with defiant eyes. “You _knew_... you know that was never true.” Defiant blue eyes glared up at him. “You _**knew**_ he wanted me to help you, to serve at your _side_. I was to serve you _not_ service you. Yet you used me and cast me aside like the whore your mother called me all the same.” Her biting words did not seem to phase him in the least. Sesshomaru looked down at her with glaring cold eyes and unlatched his armor, casting it up to the bank before loosening his robes to reveal far more skin than was proper and the wound she had put there.

“Heal it.” He demanded quietly. “Heal yourself.” She spat back as she tried to turn away from him. He took her by her black tresses and pressed her face against his still bleeding wound. “I said, _Heal me_ , woman.” He was greeted by her teeth not her tongue. She sunk her sharp teeth into his shoulder around the wound, and in response he twisted his hand in her hair painfully. They stayed pinned against each other for a long moment but Tsune was weak. The pressure behind her teeth faded and she licked her teeth clean of his blood. His flavor bringing back unbidden memories. Weak hands slid around him, one behind his shoulder and the other tentatively touched his abdomen. “Now Tsune.” Her fingers twisted weakly against him but she pressed her tongue to his skin obediently. She even followed his distant, nearly ancient order for her to never again sedate him without his permission.

She quietly licked his wounds closed and the hold he had on her hair loosened. He no longer forced her against him but cradled her head as she clung to him. The warm embrace was so comforting, yet she was so uncomfortable. It had been a very long time since they had been like this, to embrace while she healed him. His head rolled back as he sighed and he ran his fingers through her hair as she finished. He had been tender like this once, before his mother forced kindness from him. For just that moment he seemed like the very young man she had once known. As she finished he leaned his head down, eyes closed as his lips rested on her hair. Then he stepped back from her. The long moment from the past was over, he was out of the water and pulling his clothes back over himself, putting his armor back in place and letting the water drip from him.

“Who took your arm…” Tsune asked noncommittally, bitterness filling her again, she sunk into the water turning towards the rock. “InuYasha.” A feral disgusted look flashed across her face as she snapped her head back towards him. “That _whelp_ took your arm? And he still lives?” Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder at her, dressed and about to leave. “Father favored him with Tetsusiaga, and gave me this worthless piece of his fang. Yes, my brother still lives by Father’s good graces _alone_.” Tsune was silent for a moment in the water. “I will kill him. He's killed my parents and I will avenge them.” Sesshomaru turned his back fully to her before he spoke. “If you believe you can surpass me… Give my regards to Father and your parents when you see them.” With that scathing remark he was gone.

Tsune sighed and stripped of her soaked kimono reluctantly so that she could clean herself. She drug the soaked thing out of the water and hung it on a branch, fetching her chijiriki from where he had thrown it. Finally ready for her bath she tread carefully back into the water to relax on a the rock to soak up the heat. There in the warm water she drifted in and out of a fitful and light sleep. 

As she lay there the monkey clad man stepped from the woods. A single eye opened in his direction, her voice hiding her fatigue. “Leave me. I have no taste for you and your trinket.” The monkey cloak’s hood fell back, revealing a handsome black haired demon. “You assume I will take no for an answer.” A low growl echoed from her and both eyes opened to him, her hand sliding over the shaft of her weapon and fingers curling around it. “You think you can persuade me?” She hissed softly, her voice betraying her anger with a dangerous edge. “Persuade? No I intend to command you.” The lovely naked body lifted from the water, tail moving slowly through the water, spear pointed at the male and the weight hanging at the ready. A low cackle rose on the wind as he shucked his pelt to the ground.

He moved forward fast and she swiped at him with the spear, but all she caught was his clothes. He had no intent on dragging the fight out, he reached towards her and his arm lashed out with noxious looking tentacles, grabbing her arms and staying her weapon. A scream turned into a short snarling howl as she shifted to snap her half fox jaws at him. Clawed feet came up to kick at the arm but she was quickly overwhelmed by him. His other hand came to rest on the back of her neck and he pushed her face first onto the rock she had been laying on. She felt the press of his body against her, still trying to escape him she fought at his restraints. “Relax toy, you are now one of mine. I command you, the more you fight it… the more damage it will do.” The voice was sickening at the back of her head as her legs were force apart. Her snarl turned to a hate filled scream as something thick parted her intimately.

Tsune woke on the rock, scream still in her throat, thrashing at her attacker. But there was no one there, no monkey pelt or raven haired demon. It had been a dream? Her fight and subjugation? Not even the smell of him remained. She shuddered with the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, the dream had been disturbing at the very least. She was shocked that she had slept soundly enough to dream, and even felt a bit rested, time had passed and now the sky was lightening with the dawn. Her kimono was dry and she exited the water to dry her body. Her grip on reality was far more loose than she'd thought. Her parents had just died, the grief must have been getting to her for more seriously than she thought. She would have to chalk the dream up to that. She was dressed and gone in a flash. She left the hot spring and made her way with new vigor to find InuYasha. 

The hot spring was quiet for a moment then a low laugh echoed over the water she had so recently vacated. “Go, do my bidding toy.”

~~

That sickly feeling, the feeling she was being watched, that she was being followed stayed with her. No mater how many times she covered her tracks or looked over her shoulder, the feeling wouldn’t leave her. Finally she was forced to ignore it as part of her fractured, failing mind. She knew no other way to deal with the feeling, she had to find InuYasha and she had to kill him for what he'd done to her family, to her. Unfortunately the most disquieting thing since her nightmare was the unfamiliar weight in her belly. She had never been round with a kit but she guessed this was what it would feel like. The only problem was she knew she was not pregnant, it had been months now, since she had lain with a man. There would be signs, visible rounding when she bathed, sickness near dawn, deisre for more food. Sadly there was no time to think about her current condition, she had found InuYasha’s scent and _would_ follow the smell to him.

Her goal, was ahead, the group had just gotten the unsettling feeling that they were being followed, a demon's aura had caught their attention. Kagome started with a little yelp. “There's a jewel shard coming this way!” pointing behind them Kagome showed the group which way to aim themselves. As they were all readying attacks the tell tale white monkey pelt showed in the dark of the forest. “Naraku!” The group cried in chorus as the demon chuckled. “I hope you are ready for my newest toy. I will be most disappointed if you die easily by her hand.” As he faded back into the darkness Tsune jumped out of the woods above him. The perfect choriography of the blasted demon was rarely lost on the group. All the same, they faced the enraged demoness, her hackles raised and her lips pulled into a snarl.

“You… How could you!? My parents protected your mother… My father stood along side yours and my mother was to be the midwife at your birth! How could you kill them!? Have you no respect!?! If you have no love for your father what of your mother?” Tsune stood before them, waiting only a breath for the answer as InuYasha blinked at her. “What are you talking about? What do you mean I killed your parents?” Tsune snarled at his denial, her Chijiriki pointed at him. “You murdered them in cold blood, they haven't attacked a human, not in centuries! They respected your father!” InuYasha growled at her, “Keh! Look lady, I don’t kill demons that are peaceful. Get off my back!” 

Shippo pipped up, “Tsune! He’s telling the truth, we haven’t killed any fox demons!” Tsune turned angry but pained eyes to Shippo. “No, you have nothing to do with this Cousin. Only InuYasha has my parents blood on him. Please stay back Cousin. I have no will to attack the rest of you.” She spoke to the rest of the group, pain slid across her features as she nearly pleaded with the group to leave her to her revenge. She turned her eyes on InuYasha and hate flooded them again. “Draw your fathers blade and I will set my fathers spear head in your heart, you cur!” Tsune spat as she charged the object of her hatred.

Out came Tetsusaiga and the blade was the thick fang, burning in the air. InuYasha narrowly missed getting her chijiriki planted in his flesh as he addressed her. “You’re out of your head woman! But if you wanna fight I’ll put you down like nothing!” As he batted her attacks aside, it was Kagome’s turn to pipe up. “She has a shard of the jewel InuYasha!” Tsune ignored the miko’s cries, whatever she was talking about Tsune did not care.

“What? Where is it? She didn’t have it last time did she?” The inu questioned incredulously. He moved his sword just in time to stop the spear. “Pay attention to your adversary not your wench!” Tsune spat, aggravated that her opponent didn’t seem to be taking her as seriously as she felt he should. “It’s in her… belly! No she didn’t have it before.” Tsune growled at the continued interruption. “Stay out of this girl! Clearly you do _not_ know what you are talking about!” With that Tsune leapt forward lashing out with the spear end of the weapon. She was fast, fast enough to make InuYasha nearly kiss her spear with his blood. “Ok that’s enough of this!” He growled as the chain wrapped around his arm. He grabbed the chain and wrenched the thing out of her hands.

As the fight went on the others heard a low cackle in the forest around them. “Too bad she’s wrong… Too bad she can’t hear me. I killed her parents and disguised myself as InuYasha so that the two of you would kill each other… Pity though, she has remorse in her heart, she will regret killing for me. That’s why I placed a jewel shard in her while she slept… To obtain her obedience.” Miroku and Sango looked to what they could only hope was the real thing. “You bastard!” Sango snapped and her weapon flew from her hands at him. Naraku dodged it much to Sango’s irritation, the pair chased after the demon or puppet. 

Tsune growled as she attacked InuYasha, she yearned for her vengeance and she had yet to land a good blow on him. She stopped and stood back from him, the pair circled the clearing. She taunted him with a sneer, “Your end is near Hanyo. Tell me, how did you get all that blood out of your hair?” InuYasha spat back at her, finding her quip insulting. “I didn’t need to, you’re out of your mind! I didn’t kill anyone, let alone get blood in my hair!” She laughed cynically at him and his response. Her nails clicking as she watched her opponent. She charged and managed to tear the fire rat cloak the half blood wore, drawing up a little welt of red under her nails. “So you can bleed.” She crowed, InuYasha hissed lightly at the pain, and advanced on his adversary.

Having landed a blow, albeit a light one, she was a bit cocky, she only felt she needed to dodge the sword, surely it was his only power as a half demon. As he swept his sword she managed to skirt out of the way hoping to dash in and show him the power of a real demon. It did not go as planned. She desperately underestimated InuYasha’s own personal prowess and when he landed a punch to her gut and sent her flying she was taken totally off guard. She sputtered momentarily and cursed to herself. Surely if he felled both her parents he had to be able to fight effectively. “I have been foolish and underestimated you mutt.” She said as she stood and held her head high, straightening herself to her full height. “Perhaps I should take your Miko hostage so that I could fight you tooth and claw?” she baited, her voice impassive as the pair circled each other again. “Don’t you DARE touch her.” Tsune’s sensitive ears pricked at the sound of a bowstring pulling back. “InuYasha she can go ahead and try.” Kagome seethed at her, bow trained on the demoness. “Oh my, it seems I’ve hit a sensitive spot.” The Demoness seemed to be devoid of emotion save a hint of smug satisfaction, she watched with cold eyes. Shippo shivered watching her move so much like Sesshomaru, moving only as much as was needed, watching everything. Tsune stopped her circling as she faced both her adversaries. “Well one thing is for sure. I will not leave an innocent kit in the care of a murderer.” The facade broke as her lip pulled back. She snarled at InuYasha as his eyes narrowed at her. 

She charged forward, dodging his blade's strike. InuYasha was not truly prepared for her to snatch Shippo and run off with him. Her fleet feet faltered entirely too soon for no reason she could immediately discern. Naraku was watching and was uninterested in Tsune “saving” the small fox demon. She screamed as her gut clenched and pain writhed through her. She fell to the ground on her side, protecting the kit from her landing on him. A confused cry escaped her when her limbs wouldn't do as she wished. “What’s… happening? No! Cousin... Run...” Her voice faded to nothing as she whispered “run” and her eyes went blank. Her grip on the tiny demon loosened and he fled the now terrifying female. Her body pulsed into the hybrid form of a black and silver fox demon, she moved unnaturally, her movements jerky and no longer fluid. Her body turned sharply on InuYasha and lunged at him as Miroku and Sango came back, having lost sight of the other demon. InuYasha was able to bat her aside but she lunged again. The fight droned on, her lunging and attacking mindlessly, Narakus cackle drifted on the air. “Inu Yasha!” The monk screamed, “Try not to kill her, she’s being manipulated! She's innocent!” Sango growled under her breath at the monk. “This is _not_ a time to show compassion monk! She's a dangerous demon!” InuYasha chimed in, calling back. “Yea Miroku! She’s not some human we could just knock out.” Miroku turned to speak to the demon slayer. “She's being controlled, much the way you were when we first met! Sango?!” The Monk’s perception and pleading voice forced Sango to agree with him and jump into the fray. All three were pitted against the feral she fox, trading blows and swipes with her. It took blow after blow but finally the monk fastened a sutra to Tsune, nailing her to the ground howling in pain.

Distantly Sesshomaru caught a whiff of Naraku. “Jaken. Tend to Rin.” He gave the curt command and made haste towards the demon he hated some how even more than his half blooded brother. Instead of Naraku, Sesshomaru found said half brother and his little rag tag band standing over the female fox, talking about where the shard was. Frustration bubbled in him, his past would not leave him be it seemed, this fox haunted him far more than he wanted to show. “Why do you torment her InuYasha?” Kagome was the first to react to the sudden entrance. “Sesshomaru! She attacked InuYasha claiming he killed her parents. Naraku seems to have put a shard in her to control her…” InuYasha growled softly at her, “Tell him yer life story why don’t ya?” He quickly redirected to Sesshomaru, seething at the older brother. “Whadda you care anyway?” Without missing a beat Sesshomaru answered. “She was once mine.” The yuokai moved silently over to the pile of writhing demoness, his answer having stunned the group. Kagome turned back to Miroku and Sango to continue their discussion.

“Kagome you said it was in her belly?” The monk asked as he tried to decide how to remove the shard without damaging the female. “Yes… but it… it’s low. It’s down in her hips. I don’t understand how or why he would put it there.” Kagome puzzled. She knelt in close and studied the female, bewildered with how the shard was imbedded in her. “Usually shards are close to the surface… where the demon pushes it into the skin. I'll check her belly, maybe there’s evidence of it being pushed in?” The miko grimaced even as she spoke, looking towards the males who were around. “Maybe Sango and I should do this… without you guys watching.” Miroku started to pipe up but Sango silenced him with a heavy and evil glare. Miroku and InuYasha obediently turned their backs to the scene while the girls started to move aside robes and obe.

Sesshomaru had not moved and he glared down at the miko. “Stop.” The voice that would stop most human's hearts merely garnered the strange female's attention. Kagome looked up, bewildered, at the youkai and sat back on her heels. “We have to take it out… Or Naraku will continue to control her...” The youkai ignored the miko and knelt next to Tsune as she whimpered in pain. “Tsune...” His one remaining hand hovered over the females belly. His hand slowly descended to nearly touch, his hand hovered just below where her belly button would have been, not having to move the clothes to know where it was. The glower on Lord Sesshomaru’s face changed slightly but his expression remained unreadable. “There are two heartbeats.” It quickly became evident that the stoic demon was disgusted as he stood. “Do what you will with her. She is no interest of mine anymore.” As he began to leave, the agape group looked between each other. 

“Wait! She’s pregnant?” Kagome chirped in her usual confused tone. Sesshomaru seemed quite irritated by her question even though his voice was it’s usual calm meter and tone. “Yes and she smells of Naraku _under_ her skin. I’m sure even InuYasha can now deduce where this shard is imbedded.” Kagome in her infinite want to help and know more asked what the others would not. “You won't do anything about it? You hate Naraku...” His back remained turned but he glanced a withering glare over his shoulder at the miko. “You would have me kill her?” Without another word he was gone. The group dared not venture a guess as to why the Youkai would question them about this specific demoness then abandon her so readily. Miroku broke the heavy handed silence. “I don’t think I’d give _her_ up that easily.” Everyone but Sango looked bewildered at the monk while the demon slayer fumed clenching her fist. “Lets get back to what we’re going to DO about her you LETCH!” It was a rare moment for the woman to spare the monk a slap but, inexplicably, she did.

Shippo was lost, Tsune was misguided but she wasn’t evil, it tortured him to watch her in such pain. He hopped up on Kagome and pleaded with the miko. “Please help her Kagome…” Kagome gave the little fox a pained look as she responded “We’re trying Shippo.” InuYasha sighed heavily, it was evident even before he spoke that his thoughts were heavy and dark. “It might be kindest to her to just end her.” Shippo cried out in protest and Sango was mildly displeased with the idea. Miroku was the most verbose in his disagreement. “It’s not right InuYasha. We were able to save Sango, even Kohaku was able to shake Naraku’s grasp long enough to defy him. I’m sure she would rather be freed than killed.” He implored his friend. “Look at her Miroku! She didn’t even know herself. It’s bad enough that he’s controlling her… but he’s probably _forced_ himself on her and now she’s _carrying his child_. How can we let him torture her like that?” It was one of InuYasha’s rare enlightened moments and none could discount his logic no mater how hard they tried. “It just feels so wrong…” Kagome complained but InuYasha quipped back quickly “Hey it’s not like I _want_ to do it! And we all know none of _YOU_ are going to kill her.” 

A voice behind them stopped their conversation flat. “Help! Please... Sesshomaru?” She sobbed and squirmed, Tsune was herself again, panting on the ground, though it was clear she was out of her mind with pain. She wept bitterly as she called the name, breaking the soft hearted miko. Kagome glared at InuYasha and knelt next to the crying female. “Tsune?” She asked and the fox whined, “What's happening?” Kagome bit her lip then continued to speak. “I want to try and purify the Miasma from the shard Naraku put in you. I don't know if it will work...” InuYasha moved to the other side of the writhing female as Kagome plucked the sutra off of her. Tsunes eyes lit like fire as she answered, her voice resolute and harsh. “Do it!” Kagome winced, focusing on the shard, trying very hard to only purify it and not the female between her and it. Tsune howled mindlessly and InuYasha pinned her shoulder to the ground, she grabbed his arm and clawed him in her pain. Kagome stopped, sitting back on her heels. The demoness sobbed, claws relaxed out of InuYasha and he released her as she lost consciousness. “Were you able to?” Kagome shrugged. “It's aura is clear. It's not being absorbed by her, I don't think it's even in _her_. It's ok... for now.” She offered helplessly.

The monk was quick to pipe up. “Well lets get her to some place safe.” He offered his back to load her onto and the little fox groused at him. “Don't you think she's been manhandled enough?” The monk made a face so as to suggest he was hurt by the insinuation. “As if I would take advantage of a pregnant woman while she slept? You really have no faith in me.” Sango was quick to quip back at him. “You don't need faith when you have proof.” Before he could complain InuYasha had the unconscious female hoisted gently over his shoulder. “Eh. It's safer for me to carry her. Who knows if or when Naraku will take control of her again.”

~~

Tsune woke from fitful nightmares in a cave, the tiny fox demon sitting watch over her took note right away. “KAGOME! TSUNE'S AWAKE!” He cried out and then ran over to her. Tsune groaned and smiled at the little creature, petting him affectionately. “Hello little cousin...” He beamed at her as Kagome came in, “How are you feeling?” The demoness leaned up on her unbandaged shoulder, ignoring the question. “Why are you helping me?” Kagome looked at the demoness with sad eyes and responded. “You just lost your family and that _jerk_ Naraku manipulated you... We've all been hurt by him...” Tsune interrupted the Miko. “Who is Naraku?” Kagome was a little taken back by the question, one she rarely had to answer. “Um... well did anyone offer you a shard of the Shikon jewel? If so... that's Naraku. He usually tells people who he is right away...” Tsune scoffed and the shocked girl, her words scathing. “I must not have given him the opportunity.” The raven haired demoness finally worked her way to sit all the way up. The little fox chimed in very suddenly. “He said he killed your parents and blamed it on InuYasha! Please don't believe it was InuYasha anymore! He's a bit of a bully some times but he's a good guy! Really!”

Tsune did not look pleased, she looked incredulous at best. “He took his brother's arm and I saw him coming out of my parent's home covered in their blood but I'm to believe that it was this “Naraku” instead?” The demon hunter stepped into the cave and answered her. The young woman's voice was resolute and hard. “Yes. Because it's the truth. Naraku is powerful. He forced my brother to kill everyone I've ever known and turned me against InuYasha almost exactly like he has you. It's what he does.” From behind her the monk's voice entered the cave too. “Sango, Shippo, Kagome, food's done... Oh, you're awake Tsune... do you need any help?” His chipper smile left the demoness smirking idlly. The other girls shooed him quickly out of the cave and Tsune sighed softly, looking over to Shippo. “Why do they travel with him if they dislike him so?” She laid back down and the little demon pulled the blanket back up over her. “Miroku? Oh he's a pervert. He's always trying to grab girls bottoms and asking pretty girls if they'll have his baby...” Tsune asked another question that spoke volumes of how differently she thought. “What's wrong with that? If they find his nature objectionable why does the demon hunter still covet his attention?” Shippo looked at Tsune and shrugged but their conversation was cut short by a loud noise outside of the cave. “Bring me my kimono!” She demanded and the little fox scampered to do as she said. She quickly threw her kimono across her body with his help and did her best to move swiftly but she was still quite injured. She came to the mouth of the cave and saw a massive demon fighting the group. They were fast and efficient, far more coordinated than she would have expected. They held against it even though the demon was reasonably powerful.

It seemed as though they would win unscathed, until the demon spotted her. It bellowed about the shard and lunged at her, through the Miko. InuYasha put himself in harms way to protect the young human, taking a heavy, slicing blow across his back. Tsune was too slow from injuries to dodge the hand as it grabbed at her, even though she tried to flee into the cave it grabbed her leg and drug her back out. Unfortunately for it she was able to grab her chijiriki on her run back into the cave. She used the spear to stab the demon in the hand but it crushed her harder as she tried to slice it's thumb off. Apparently InuYasha'd had enough, though wounded he went right back to fighting. The angle and now the dire need emboldened him to use the wind scar and he was able to finish the demon with that single strike. The group converged, Kagome checking on InuYasha and Shippo trying to help get Tsune back into the cave. Once in the relative safety of the cave Kagome started to get out the bandages for InuYasha and Tsune huffed loudly. “Will you allow me?” The half demon narrowed his eyes at her. “Allow you to what?” She looked at him with a long suffering glare. “To heal you... are you really that dense?” Sango grumbled and spoke up. “When you demonstrated your ability to heal on Miroku he was half drunk for hours.” 

Tsune smiled to herself, rather pleased that the monk had remained under her influence so long. “That demonstration was in a situation where I was in less danger if one of your members was sedated... I'm not fool enough to muddle the senses of those who are protecting me. Besides, I guessed he would enjoy the intoxication.” She could tell by how irritated it made Sango that not only was it true but that she didn't approve. “Feh. Whatever. I'll be healed soon anyway.” The injured fox woman moved delicately to his back, kneeling behind him as Kagome shifted to give her room. “True, but you can be healed now rather than later.” His back exposed she chewed her tongue as she hesitated a moment. The silver hair across his back, his face turned away from her, he reminded her of his brother when he was quite a bit younger. A time before he'd become angry and cold, back when they were friends. “Tsune? Are you ok?” She nodded at the little miko's words and leaned down, licking the bloody spot and mending the damage. Without the anesthetic qualities it was a far less pleasant experience. The inu hissed softly as her tongue prodded at a deep tear that had a cracked rib under it. The little Miko blushed and looked away while Tsune administered the healing, a heavy blush on her face as the other woman's face pressed his skin.

When she finished she moved as quickly away from him as she could in her current state. His taste was bitter in her mouth, far too many similarities tore at her and she would have anyone or anything else in her mouth just then. She looked down at Sango and touched the demon hunter softly as she looked at the monk. “Huntress? Will you allow me?” There was a slice along the woman's shoulder and neck. Sango stiffened but huffed. “Yea. Ok. Make it quick.” Tsune tutted slightly “I'm sorry, but you are human... I doubt this will be particularly quick.” Kneeling to the side of the other woman she slid in close to Sango, meticulously licking the wound and making eye contact with the Monk, having cuddled into the other woman, kneeling breast to breast with her and holding her hair out of the way. She purposefully took longer than needed and got significant enjoyment out of both the discomfort in the woman she was licking and the uncomfortable arousal in the monk. “I'm sorry, your wound was deep, and I didn't want to cause you undue discomfort...” She lied as she pulled away, it took a lot of control to not smile at the shudder or the uncomfortable look on the other woman's face. Sango excused herself with a blush and Miroku reached out to stop her but was interrupted by the healer's silken voice. “I did not see, were you in need of healing?” He bit his lip slightly looking into her eyes but then answered truthfully as he got up and scampered out. “No, I'm going to go keep an eye on Sango.”

“Miko?” Kagome finally pulled herself out of her own head, InuYasha had already pulled his fire rat cloak back up and was standing guard. “Will you aid me? I must remove these bandages and heal what I can of myself...” Kagome nodded and moved over to help, pulling bandaids and wrappings off of the injured demoness. Many of the injuries were repaired, it had been nearly a full day but she had been hurt pretty badly, Miroku had tried not to hurt her but his wounds remained stubornly. Kagome broke the silence between them. “How do you know Sesshomaru and InuYashas family?” Silence hung like a noose for a long moment. “Lord Sesshomaru and I were friends as children. My parents served his father. We grew up in the great dog demon's shadow...” Kagome was far too curious for her own good and had to ask the question that left unanswered. “So you're close to him?” Tsune shook her head sharply. “No, he has forgotten me... as he said he would.” Kagome quickly, and without thinking, countermanded Tsune. “But he called you by name and said you were his...” The inu tried to pretend he wasn't both eavesdropping on the conversation and very interested.

Tsune snapped back just as quickly. “Then you misheard!” Kagome recoiled from the sharp words and Tsune sighed holding her hand at her face to give her a moment to calm the hurt in her eyes. “Once. A generation ago. I served him but his mother is an insidious creature and she turned him against me. The last time we spoke he told me he would forget me. I saw him a week or so ago and he did not recognize me.” The agonizing explanation was quiet, the inu could still hear her and felt bad for listening. “I don't believe that he said I was his. I have not been his for a life time.” Crystal drops rolled down her face as the last bandage came off of her and just as quickly as the adhesive was loosened the woman was a small fox preening in the otherwise empty pile of kimono. Kagome left Shippo and Tsune to themselves, taking InuYasha further away with her.

Out of the cave Kagome sighed, listing against the shoulder she'd drug away with her. “What's wrong with you?” He asked, a soft sniffle coming from the human. “I can't be mad at her, she's been hurt so much...” She muttered and he blinked. “Wha... Why would you be mad at her?” She grumbled and moved slightly away from him, crossing her arms, unwilling to say that she was jealous of the intimate contact the healing demoness was afforded. He rolled his eyes at the change in her, knowing that she was mad at something but unable to decipher why. “C'mon, now you're mad at me? We have a dangerous demon under our care right now. She's got some kinda connection with Naraku, only he knows why he picked her, so we don't know what she's got up her skirt. And you're gonna get in a huff at me? Kagome...” H9e gripped her arms from behind. “We can't afford you runnin off mad at me again. The danger isn't out there. It's right back here. Talkin with Shippo right now!” She relented as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, something he almost never did unless something was really wrong. She leaned into him again as he spoke. “Now I'ma go stand guard so nothin gets at her and she doesn't pull anything...” With that the pair split, both feeling the heavy burden of stress that their new ward had put on him.

 

~~

Weeks later Tsune had become rather firmly installed in their group even if she was uncomfortable in their presence. She knew in her heart she was a liability, that at any time this Naraku could control her again as she'd felt him do in their fight and next time they might not be ready. Even if she said anything about it Kagome was far too kind hearted, she would insist that they would find a way around this. It was also obvious that they knew something they weren't telling her and that galled her. InuYasha would say something odd and get silenced immediately, informed that he should keep his mouth shut. She enjoyed Miroku and Sango, Sango was fun to tease and the lecherous monk was adorable. Perhaps it was her skewed sense from being a demon but she assumed that if the pair was going to get together they should have done so already, and since they hadn't they were both fair game. Between the Slayer's possessive discomfort and the Monk's desperate attempts to not piss her off while still enjoying her company entirely too much she got most of her entertainment out of the pair.

Injuries were common amongst this little group so she was always licking _someone_. The only one she didn't really like healing was InuYasha. The others were rather pleasant to heal, though it tore at her heart if she had to heal the kit and Kagome was quite awkward at best. InuYasha though, he was a constant reminder to her, just too similar to Sesshomaru on their short trip into the world together. Golden eyes, silver hair and a muscular build wasn't quite enough, the smell of his sire on him was enough to tip it over into an uncanny space for her. InuYasha knew she was uncomfortable with it but she insisted and that made him cranky. She didn't healed him first anymore, she knew her dread had to color her scent to the inu, the others had left to work on their camp and he had stayed near by, just the two of them. He'd taken a sword to the chest and finally she came and knelt next to him. Before she could say what she always did he snapped softly at her. “You don't have ta.” She huffed, defiant and stubborn but she shouldn't quite look at his face. “We are vulnerable while any of us are injured.” He glared at her as she wouldn't look at him, he couldn't describe how it made him feel but anger was certainly a part of it. “Yea but it makes you really uncomfortable... and it ain't exactly comfy for me either ya know!” Her eyes shifted to his face finally with malice and hurt but she wouldn't retort, her jaw set. “What is it? Is it cus I'm a hanyo?” He tried to understand, asking the most common reason other demons disdained him. She shook her head sharply, teeth set tightly together, still not answering the question she knew burned at him. “Just expose the wound, I can smell your blood.” He huffed and pulled one arm out of his kimono, he would simply have to let the question lie again and it turned his stomach. 

She leaned down, curling forward, critical fingers held flesh together yet didn't cause undue discomfort. There was no comfortable place for him to put his arm and no one was there to reprimand him so he relaxed his arm across her back sighing in his frustration with her. As the arm laid across her back. Her hand flew down, gripping his pant leg for support, and took a deep breath yet she continued, letting her teeth split again so she could continue. As she licked the wound away he flinched and gripped her, somehow remembering to do so gently, he turned his head away and sent his silver hair down over her. “Sesshomaru...” She whispered hoarsely, her head rest against him. Her hand slid against him, fingers splaying across his skin, far too affectionately for either of their tastes. He squirmed at the suggestive touch along his back. “Whu... What?!?” He stammered as she finished licking his wound gone, trembling in rage and pain drawn back to her from her memories. “You insist? I'll tell you!” Her tone seething, her eyes alight with anger. As she sat up she had both fists full of his clothes, pulling their bodies together.

Were it not for the seething words, their situation would have been intimate and sensual. “I have gone an age, at least a century! Without thinking about _**him**_ or your damnable family... and then I run into _**you**_!! Now every old wound and a few new ones are open on my heart!” Now up on her knees she let go of his pants to gesture angrily. Her bust pressed into his side, his arm still around her and her hand against his bare back again, nails griping his skin harmlessly. “But your hair... and your blood... and... you laid your arm on me like _he_ did...” she melted from her rage to cry bitterly, sinking against his shoulder, her hand at her face, the other gripping his skin tenderly. “I thought... Never again...” She whispered between her sobs.

He didn't know how to react, the information was muddled by her emotions and with how often he was told how different he was from his brother, being told he was so much like him was unsettling. She had been getting progressively more moody, for all he knew she could lift her head up and start laughing. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around her to try and calm the bawling female. “I'm sorry? There's nothin' I can do about that stuff... I mean I told ya... you don't have ta heal me.... if it hurts...” She curled into him, returning the hug, and he pet her hair. Her face rested in the crook of his neck and her arms wound against his flesh. She held him tightly clinging not to the young hanyo but the sweet memory that she'd not indulged in for an age. He held her back awkwardly, pulse racing as a woman clung to him, her hands splayed across his skin and her breath dancing down across his chest.

Sango glared at him from the entrance of their hiding place as he spoke quietly, trying to reassure the fox that things would work out. Tsune pulled away from him suddenly, leaving his arms open where she'd been and his face confused. She didn't care to explain herself to the female who'd just entered so she turned into a small fox and ran away. InuYasha looked baffled up at Sango as the fox disappeared. “You're getting as bad as that damn monk.” She scathed at him, he was immediately defensive and shouted at Sango. “I ain't like Miroku! She healed me and then she started crying!” Miroku walked in as Sango stormed out with her arms crossed, the picture of a storm cloud. He watched her stomp out and turned back to the inu as he put his top back on. “What's wrong with them?” The dog huffed and complained to the other male. “Tsune's moody. One minute she's angry at me the next she's crying an huggin me... then Sango walks in while I'm trying to calm Tsune down and she snaps at me for who knows what...” 

The monk shrugged and moved to sit with his friend as he finished rearranging his clothes. “Perhaps Sango's ire comes from you comforting the pregnant demon while half dressed?” The astute observation didn't make the half blood happy. “It's not my fault that she flipped out while she was healing me! How was I supposed to know that laying my arm on her would set her off?” Miroku looked at Inuyash incredulously. “She didn't even bat an eye when I grabbed her bottom the other day... but she got upset when you _laid your arm_ across her back? Perhaps she prefers my company...” InuYasha glared at Miroku his voice dripping with anger and disdain. “She said it's because I remind her of my brother.” Miroku was brought out of a lecherous daydream by the statement. “Oh. What did your brother do to her?” InuYasha recoiled and yelled at the monk, mostly because of the contemplative look on his face. “How should I know?!?! What kinda guy d'ya think I am?!?!” The monk shrugged and that seemed to anger the hanyo even more.

The monk thought for a moment and tried to help his friend. “She knew a different version of your brother. One that you and I have never known. Perhaps he was warmer, Kagome found out she was supposed to be his vassal. That they had been friends. Clearly neither of these things are still true.” InuYasha growled and complained at the revalation. “Well if it's so bad, I heal just fine on my own. Why does she keep healing me? I ain't like you where I'll be wounded fer days...” The monk shrugged. “She probably realizes that she's a danger to us. With the element of surprise, you are the only person here who can hold her back...” The hanyo relented and grumbled. “Feh. I guess.”

~~

It had been a quiet couple of days though even Tsune noticed her mood was fluctuating wildly. The only problem with recognizing that her mood was unpredictable was that it made her angry which made her mood unpredictable. They were on the road, which didn't help her mood any. It wasn't the traveling, it was the slow pace that the humans required. Luckily the cat demon Kirara didn't mind giving her a ride when she became grumpy. It was nearing time to camp for the night so they were searching for a suitable spot when something bothered she and the large cat. “Something's not right...” she stated quietly. “What is it?” The monk questioned, none of the rest of them could sense anything but Kirara seemed to have a sense for trouble that was unmatched so no one doubted that Tsune was right. “I... I don't know... but...” As she looked around they all did, the monk kept close to her, Sango and InuYasha fanned out slightly and Kagome got her bow with Shippo on her shoulder. Tsune and Miroku moved slightly to the south, trying to discern the origin of whatever was wrong.

Tsune gripped his arm and her belly suddenly, doubling over in pain. “Run!” While she had spoken clearly to him the soft hearted monk tried to help her up, pulling her to run with him even as Kirara growled and backed away from her. She grit her teeth panting as Kagome shouted. “The shard! The miasma is back!” The monk was still trying to pull her with him so she pushed him away, trying to stumble away from the group who'd protected her for nearly a month. Miroku was far too compassionate to let the demoness run off on her own, “Tsune!” As he shouted a mass of green thorny vines fell around the pair. It blocked her flight, forcing her back towards the monk as the vines lashed towards them, making a huge orb of demon plant. They were fending off the vines from the inside but the others were quickly around the mass trying to hack away at it. Kagome's purifying arrow was given a hole to fly through, the pair was moving too much for InuYasha to use his wind scar and Sango simply was chopping at the plant trying to make head way. It moved away from them and the pair it held hostage limited the attacks they could use.

The ball lashed at it's occupants, slicing them with thorns though it seemed as though it was more interested in the monk. It kept him off balance and tried to wrap his limbs. Tsune was weakened by the pain, she did her best to fight off the vines, to help the monk, but she was sluggish. A vine from the top and a pair from the bottom of the mess attacked Miroku in tandem, he was unable to stop them, the one spun around his neck while the other two gripped his legs. Tsune tried to loosen the one around his neck as a fourth lashed at the hand he was chopping at the ones around his legs with. They struggled, the fox woman could not change her form even though she tried. She was growing fearful and frustrated she raked at the vine around his neck while he struggled to free his now trapped hand. A vine threw her back and InuYasha sliced at the ball with his sword, yelling for it to fight him. The vines gave him what he wanted while doing what Tsune had feared, the thorn infested vines pulled away from the monk, sliding across his skin. It ripped his robes across his chest, sliced the sleeve away from his wrist, tore off his sandal, each point of contact ripped slices in his flesh, the worst cut as he dropped to the ground with a slight spin wrapped around his neck.

“MIROKU!” Sango and Tsune screamed in unison. She scampered as quickly as she could to him, the vines ignored them to fight those trying to free it's prisoners leaving a deafening silence. The monk fought to sit up and continue to fight, holding a hand to his throat but blood seeped between his fingers. “Let me heal you!” She demanded as she had to crawl back over to him across the carpet of undulating vines. He opened his mouth to argue with her but a bloody cough was all that happened. Blood trickled down his arm and she felt panic grip her, she climbed onto his lap, kneeling astride him, not caring in the least if it was immodest if it meant being able to help the monk. He held his injured hand out while the beaded hand held pressure on his neck. She glared at the injured hand, knowing it was not his most pressing injury but she grabbed it roughly and licked the length of the wound, sealing it messily. “Fight!” he hissed at her quietly. “No! You're dieing! We have reprieve! I don't care why!” she pulled his hand away, clamping his throat with her own so she could quickly and carefully working on closing the wound. It was deep enough and in a terrible spot. At the base of his throat she used one hand to tilt his head back, holding his chin and letting her fingers rest on the side of his throat. The screams of the others sounded so far away.

The problem was she knew that something was wrong, she didn't have control of herself. As she held his face to the side her other hand wrapped around him under his ripped robe, holding him to her. As she felt her own claws against his back, and her grip on his jaw tighten she worked furiously against herself to finish healing him. He knew something was wrong too. His voice was back, still rough with a slight rasp to it. “Tsune?!” he questioned, feeling himself panic as her tongue caressed his neck differently, affectionately. “Miroku....” she said his name apologetically as she pulled back, her hand sliding to his hair, fingers snaking under the ties for his pony tail. His eyes searched her face in that moment of stillness. Panic flooded her as she pulled his face towards hers, fighting to stay back from him. He grabbed her shoulders to push her away but he was weakened and her body seemed strengthened “No... Run away!” She pleaded but her lips pressed his. Sango screamed, blindly furious and unable to see the demon's struggle. 

When she released him from the kiss she seemed changed. She had a sadistic smile on her lips, blood smeared on her cheek, and a happily cruel sigh escaped her. She moaned seductively and licked her lips, her eyes blank when she finally opened them to look down at him. Miroku knew as he looked up into her demonic face that Tsune wasn't in control of herself. She pushed the monk down to the ground, pinning his hands by the wrists to the now cleared space as he struggled against her. She cooed wordlessly down at him but she flinched as she descended on him. “Fight it Tsune!” Miroku rasped, hope still alive in him for the demoness. “GET OFF OF HIM!” Sango screamed on the verge of tears, frantically hacking at the ball of thorns.

Her teeth grit and she groaned angrily, blinking her eyes were normal again. “No! I won't!” She spoke to some unknown. Her fingers twined in his rosary, she struggled with herself, trying to release the monk and his beads. While she was focusing on that hand the other one snapped to his throat. Her fingers twitched around his neck and he grabbed her wrist. “I don't want to hurt them! I won't!” She let out an anguished scream pulling her hands to her chest with marked effort. The monk was able to sit up below her, finally trying to escape her. Her eyes went blank again but she stood and moved away from him, the mass seemed to follow her, ignoring the monk now. “Kill me... cut me down before I hurt you...” She lilted the words as though they were a seduction. She purred softly then cackled as she slowly walked backwards, facing the group with blank eyes. The vines seemed to follow her as she moved. “I can only control this so long... InuYasha! Kiss me! Show me mercy?” Her words bent confusingly, the Inu watched her not understanding. “She meant _kill_ her! Do it!” Sango shouted, having pried Miroku from the receding vines. She wrapped her arms around the injured monk, her bitter demand did not help move the stalled group. “Fiiiine... I'll comfort myself...” 

“No! We'll save you!” Kagome was too soft hearted and was trying to shoot the ball, hoping that it's destruction would salvage the demoness. Tsune grinned a painful grin and tilted her head to the side. Her claws shook as they inched towards her neck. “Shoot me girl. Love me... Leave...” her whole arm trembled as her claws tried to slowly sink into her own flesh. “No... Not him...” The strange seductive lilt dropped as Sesshomaru landed, turning the two way stand off into a three way show down. Tsune blinked the blankness from her eyes once more, arm still trembling as it threatened her. “My Lord!?” She cried out to him, taking a step forward, he narrowed his eyes at the little group. “Where is Naraku?” He asked, ignoring her and illiciting a sharp cry in response from the demoness. Tsune collapsed with a sob, then stood like she was held by puppet strings. “Feh, Thank you Sesshomaru. Now if you'll excuse me, I must take this toy home... Funny, she was fighting me until you showed up...” The words came from Tsune but they were clearly not her, the ball of vines compressed around her and rolled away, toppling trees in it's path. Rage flared in Sesshomaru's eyes at the voice coming out of her, turning angrily at his brothers group. “Fools! You _kept_ her?” InuYasha stepped forward, an echo to his brother's rage. “Yea she was fine until now! She was fighting it until you came and screwed things up! You just... _ignored_ her! You really are an ass!” It looked for an instant as though Sesshomaru would attack InuYasha for those words but instead he turned toward the path left by the ball. “Stay out of my way.” Sesshomaru flew like the devil after Tsune, InuYasha hot on his tail, Kirara scooping up the non demons to try and follow.

They gave chase, Sesshomaru caught up to the ball easily and sliced the vines open, catching a glimpse of the now limp demoness draped over a sling of vines inside the ball. It gripped her like a doll, undulating away from the Youkai. InuYasha caught up shortly after Sesshomaru attacked. They tried, they attacked the vines holding her but it just dropped her back into it's waiting vines to slither further from the inu. It used her as a shield against InuYasha and kept her away from Sesshomaru. Suddenly it threw her high in the air, Sesshomaru leapt to snatch her but he was irritated to see the wasps grab onto her and whisk her away while the vines sacrificed themselves trying to block the youkai and hanyo. Even Sesshomaru couldn't track the bugs carrying the woman away so he turned on his brother seething with rage. “Now Naraku has her.” That bubbled more anger in the hanyo at his brother. Everything his brother did about this woman seemed at odds with it's self. “What do you care?! You just want Naraku! Well get in line bub!” Sesshomaru lashed at his brother with his whip, his rage at the situation bubbling over.

“Stupid little mutt. I do not need to justify myself to you!” InuYasha had a moment of rare clarity through his own anger. Disgust mingled with rage on the younger face as he spat Gesturing in the direction they'd been heading. “Then justify it to her!” The group landed behind him as Sesshomaru's hand shook from rage. “Where is she?!?” InuYasha looked at them with disgust still plastered on his face. “Lets go. She's gone. Lets just hope that we find her before Naraku does something unspeakable to her... _Again_.” InuYasha let his back face his enraged brother, ignoring him. Kagome looked at Sesshomaru, “Can you help us? Please... She doesn't deserve this... You cared about her once right?” His eyes shifted to her, blazing red, causing her to yelp and jump back. Without another word Sesshomaru left. “So maybe he does still care.” Miroku muttered hoarsely. InuYasha made an angry quip at the comment. “Fat lota' good that'll do.” They loaded the monk back on Kirara and all headed towards Kaede's village to heal the still gravely injured monk.

~~ 

Tsune woke in a strange room, kneeling on a mat, with a stately kimono wrapped around her. She wrapped her arms around herself as she looked over the room, trying to decipher what was happening, where she was. A familiar, unfriendly voice reached her from behind the reed curtain. “Congratulations Tsune. You’re my favorite toy. Coveted by my enemies.” Naraku pulled aside the curtain and stepped in the room with her. When she moved to attack him she was overwhelmed with pain and cramps. “Ah yes. You’ll want to be careful with yourself… you are in such delicate condition after all.” The female glowered at the man she only barely knew. “It wasn’t a dream was it? At the hot springs, it was you, you put something in me and you’re controlling me with it! You bastard!” She seethed at the whole idea, she felt heavy in the belly, more so than before.

He ignored her comments and continued talking almost as though to himself. “I had not expected that monk to put a sutra on you, and that Miko managed to dispel my miasma in the shard. It took me far too long to get that to work again.” He turned to her and smiled a sick smile, leaning down to grip her chin, lifting it as she glowered at him. “You are far too precious to let InuYasha save you! Or worse yet kill you out of mercy!” Grinning he turned her head and licked her cheek before leaving her to her own devices as he cackled.

Tsune gathered the flowing Kimono and stood, finding herself round in the belly. It was a disturbing feeling, knowing that months may have flown past without her knowing. He alluded to her condition causing her to be weakened, her rounded bell confirmed it. He raped her and now she was with _his_ kit. Tsune couldn’t help but be furious. She glared down at her belly she would have to remove this little creature from her insides by force. The demoness would have to bide her time and try to cut the thing out of her belly. The idea that she might die from the wound herself was all that stopped her from just using her claws to do so. She guessed if the child grew large enough for her to find with a blade she might do less damage to herself, but she did not know. Perhaps if she simply killed the child and allowed herself to pass it she might survive. 

He certainly was correct about her condition being delicate. The stately kimono he had her dressed in felt heavy on her arms as it slumped down inappropriately off her shoulders. Her body felt weak all over, tender everywhere. First thing she should do would be to find a blade or the like that she could stash. Her chijiriki was nowhere to be found, she had only fleeting memories since the fight and healing the monk. Nothing seemed real, perhaps this was just some hellish nightmare or she had gotten a fever and now lost her grip on reality. She could only hope but in the mean time she had to figure out how to live and perhaps escape this horrible place.

It would take time and cunning, perhaps more of either than she was comfortable with. An unassuming demon stood in the corner of the room holding a mirror. Kana looked to Tsune with her soulless black eyes. Something was painfully unnerving about this one, she was familiar some how, like she’d been there for most of the blank spaces in her mind. “What do you want child.” She didn’t so much ask as she used the question to scold the small thing. “Naraku said I’m to watch you and ensure you don’t do yourself or the baby any harm.” The adult demon rankled at the comment, so she had a little watcher ensuring she didn’t do exactly what she planned on doing. “Oh and how will a tiny little thing like you stop me?” Kana tipped her head quizzically. “The same way I held you motionless for weeks.” Tsune fumed, claws bared but the thought of swinging at this small creature seemed just too much work. “You should remain calm,” the small demoness spoke, “you’re too weak to be attacking anything.”

Tsune relented, her body ached and she could tell that she’d not eaten. “I require food girl. Where do I get it?” the small demoness shrugged and Tsune scoffed. “I need not worry about damaging this thing inside me myself… you will do that for me by starving me.” She left the room to wander the castle for food. Soon she found herself back in the room that she could only assume was hers, still hungry and irritated. Sitting with her hand on the round of her belly her eyes shifted as her captor’s shadow appeared behind one of the reed mats. He pushed it aside after a moment, his cruel eyes peering down on her as he grinned. He offered her a plate of food before he spoke. “Eat, we have some travel to do my _dear toy_.” She sat still, glaring at him and ignoring the food. He moved closer and crouched before her, running his fingers through her black tresses. “You can choose to obey me or I can force you.” He pulled her head back with her hair, bringing her defiant eyes to his. “You didn’t like it last time… I doubt it will be any easier on you this time.” Hand gripping her hair to hold her head still he ran his clawed hand across her throat in a threatening manner. Her defiant eyes slid away from him, and he released her, standing and moving to the door to wait for her to eat.

She had so little strength she had no choice but to obey. Perhaps with some food in her belly she’d have enough strength to defy him more. When she was done eating he commanded her to stand and she did. He wrapped his arm around her and she seethed while he traveled them to some remote place that was part of his wretched scheme. Soon she found them at the edge of some pitched battle, seeing a flash of silver hair on the battle field her hope rose for just a moment. She stepped forward on the cloud and his arm relaxed slightly away from her. Then that little Miko called out and the silver hair whipped around revealing InuYasha. Tsune sighed, pulled back against Naraku, far closer than she wanted. Her rounded belly showed far more drastically with the clothes he had dressed her in. The inu looked up to their perch and Naraku smiled down, a fathom of wasps and demons between the small groups.

“Naraku! You bastard!” InuYasha spat, his eyes not wavering from the demon who held her snugly to his chest. “Kagome, shoot him!” The little miko already had her bow pulled back but Naraku kept Tsune between them and himself. “Yes, shoot me through her, your purifying arrow would end her suffering, be _kind_ and kill her.” Kagome tried, oh she tried but Tsune looked to her, a long suffering look on her face, knowing that the girl wouldn’t have the heart. With a small scream of rage the arrow flew and buzzed past the pair, neither demon even flinching. The Miko looked up with tears in her eyes. “NARAKU YOU JERK!” The small group continued to fight off the demons and wasps. Narkaku smiled and squeezed Tsune, it was almost an affectionate gesture that made her skin crawl. “The are compassionate… but they hope for you. I’d let them kill you before I’d let them take you from me again.” Several more attacks whizzed past the pair but none hit anything.

“Well I've better things to do... enjoy some new toys to play with...” In a moment of panic she slipped his grip, trying to leap from the platform. She wasn't fast enough to escape him and his hand was on her in no time. “No! KILL HIM!” As she struggled he grimaced, winding her in his arms and pinning her struggling form to him again. “Time to leave.” He hissed with a firm grip on her he fled just in time to let a hoard of lesser demons take the brunt of the wind scar. It was a flash to her, the time between being at the battle and when she was back in that room. He grumbled and threw her into the room, following her with a cold glower. “Clearly I'm not keeping you weak enough.” There were few things in that world she feared but the sight of him pulling back the shoulder of his kimono nearly stopped her heart. “Hold her Kana” As Tsune scampered as fast as she could backwards the little void demon held her mirror out. Naraku descended on her, sliding between her legs as her body froze, her mind not yet suppressed. She glared up at him and pain shot through her swollen abdomen his fingers sliding across her belly. As she cried out in pain he smiled again, gripping her by her hair and forcing his lips against hers. As he forced his tongue into her mouth the edges of her vision went black. The dark chuckle was all she heard as her vision faded out.

~~

Some days seemed like no time had passed, yet others felt like weeks. She had lost count of the days, the sun never truly shone and it was growing difficult for her to discern the dark of night from the gloom of Naraku's foul moods. She never slept yet some days she woke. She rarely ate but she was still sustained. She never remembered getting hurt yet she was cut and bruised. She would wake with Naraku leaving the room feeling dirty, unsure if it was just because she loathed him or if it was because he had used her again. She woke kneeling, feeling addled and weak, he stood over her, she simply turned her face form him. She was so very tired. “Stand toy.” He demanded, but she sat, the only defiance she had. She knew he was becoming irritated with her defiance and hoped eventually it would enrage him enough to end her. She was lifted by her throat to her feet suddenly, irritation playing clearly across his grinning face. “Your obedience is not requested, it is required for your continued existence.” She glared at him. “Then kill me.” He raised an eyebrow at her in annoyance then laughed. “In due time. All in due time.” She was drug once more to a battle that she watched with pained detachment as they approached.

She saw InuYasha again, he tried so hard to attack Naraku, yet he continued to fail. Naraku could never quite kill the group but he was never quite bested by them. She could tell at present his schemes were harming his effort. He probably had some ace up his sleeve but she hadn't seen it yet. His insistence on flouting her around merely angered the group but they didn't faulter enough from the anger for him to kill them. He had shielded her from their attacks more than once, InuYasha was determined to end her suffering and she appreciated his effort. “Oh look toy... your savior is here... lets see what he does...” She looked up to see Sesshomaru and winced at the sight of him. She was so weak all she could feel was embarrassment. He no longer cared for her if he had ever cared. Tears flowed for the first time in a long time, her heart broken at the thought of being ignored once more. 

Sesshomaru flew in and the ice cold rage carried him towards the object of his hate. As he grew nearer he seethed aloud. “Tsune...” Tear filled eyes looked up to him, her lips parted to speak and she was struck across the face, falling back on the cloud platform. Naraku grinned at Sesshomaru. “You want the whore? Come and get it.” She held her face and glared up at him, far more willing to defy him than she had been in a while. As she struggled to stand he back handed her again, causing her to fall to the floating platform again. “Naraku you BASTARD!” InuYasha screamed, trying to leap at the demon while the group did everything they could to clear his way. Sesshomaru narrowly missed Naraku who picked the woman up by the throat, leaping away from the fight onto a roof. “You are due...” He hissed at the demoness struggling in his grip, clawing weakly at him. His other hand plunged into her body, she coughed blood. He withdrew his hand and brought out a small infant sized lump from her body, casting the bleeding demoness down the roof. She hit part way down the roof and rolled off the edge, leaving blood spatters all the way down. She landed on her back, looking up. There was a surreal moment of calm as she bled on to the castle grounds, knowing she'd been killed even though she wasn't dead yet, she saw the huge dog demon fly over towards her murderer.

Blood pooled in the kimono as she laid twisted on the ground, InuYasha managed to get to her side quickly, she was still alive and conscious. “Tsune!” The others were short on his heels. “Muh... my lord... did you... kill him..” Her bloodied hand reached up for him as the group looked on in hushed grief. Shippo could not contain himself and lept to her side. “Tsune no! Don't die! Heal yourself! Kagome! Help her!!!” Kagome frowned down at the little demon. “There's nothing I can do Shippo...” InuYasha held her hand. “I'm not your lord. My brother is... Rest easily Tsune...” Little Shippo bawled and she coughed to try and speak to him. “Cousin? Bury me with mother and father... You'll know the temple... I'm sure.... you... can...” the light faded from her eyes. Miroku grit his teeth, Sango stood close to him, her jaw working angrily at the bloodied body, hugging Kagome as she cried. “Don't worry Tsune. We'll find it... And we'll put you with them...” InuYasha vowed softly as he laid her hand back down. Shippo was unable to accept and he clung to her until the hanyo picked him up and held him in an uncharacteristically sweet gesture.

All too late Sesshomaru came back while the group started to set her right so that she could be buried. The monk had just leaned down to close her eyes when the black boots hit the ground. A soft sigh left the youkai as he looked down on her. “Pay your respects if you're going to say good bye. We're going to find her family and bury her with them.” The monk stated plainly, he was seething at the demon who had simply flown off after her killer. They were shocked to see Sesshomaru kneel next to her and brush a strand of hair out of her face. He stood swiftly and took a few steps before turning on heel, his sword pulsing. In a single, wordless motion he brought the sword out, sliced the air near her body and put the sword away. Kagome jumped slightly then squealed in delight. “Tsune?” She questioned as a ragged breath entered the fox. She did not speak, she simply laid there silently breathing and the group's joy faded slightly. Sesshomaru knelt and slid his arm around the woman, lifting her gently before looking at them expectantly.

“We can take her back to Kaede's village. Kaede can help.” InuYasha stated simply, picking Kagome up and putting her on his back he lead the group. Kagome looked down at him proud. “Thank you InuYasha...” He ignored her mostly “Feh. I haven't done anythin' yet.” She nodded to herself. “Yea, but Sesshomaru won't say it, so I will.” They flew fast and hard back to the village, even InuYasha was tired by the time they made it back. Tsune was unconscious but she was still breathing shallowly. “Hey! Old woman! Wake up, we need your help.” The half demon was never particularly kind to her but she stirred with a bit of grump. “InuYasha, certainly you understand that it's the middle of the night and old women need their sleep...” she complained as he walked into her hut. She stopped talking when he pulled the curtain open for his brother. “Oh...” she said softly, her remaining eye wide in shock as the youkai laid the demoness on the floor delicately. Kaede nodded with a small noise to Sesshomaru and looked at the blood soaked demoness. “I will need some privacy for her sake. And InuYasha, tell the girls to boil some water and have Kagome bring those special bandages of hers.” The older brother turned and silently walked out, leaping away when he was out of the hut. InuYasha huffed irritated and reiterated the orders to the women.

Some hours later the old woman and the two younger ones exited the hut. “How did she survive those wounds?” She finally asked the group. “Sesshomaru used the Tenseiga on her... but I don't know, she was with Naraku for a long time, her body was damaged badly.” Kagome spoke softly to Kaede. “He ripped something out of her... it might have been a child...” the old woman nodded slowly. “A violent way to die. She feels as though she was at rest. I fear she might not have the will to recover.”

~~

Shippo stood guard over Tsune's sleeping body, keeping constant vigil. Kagome ventured into the woods, seeing Sesshomaru sitting statue still in a tree. She stood near the roots of the three and looked up at him as he watched something far away. “She called for you as she died... Is that why you saved her? Because she was loyal to you? Even after all Naraku did to her?” He sat silently in the tree for a long moment, long enough that she started to turn to leave him to his thoughts. He spoke into the breeze as the wind rustled his clothes and hair. “She didn't ever offer me her loyalty. She offered me her life, I never wanted it.” The miko frowned at the statement. With a small disgruntled noise she responded, knowing full well that even her tiny words would reach his ears. “That's kinda sad. After all she went though, you still don't want her.” There was a growl from above her, he was gone when she glanced over her shoulder and she sighed, starting to head back to the hut. 

Shippo tried so hard to stay vigilante but Tsune didn't wake that day, when Sesshomaru slid into the hut the little demon was sleeping next to her silent form. The demon watched her sleeping for far longer than he'd intended to. Was it really sad that he didn't want her to die? That idiot mikos words bothered him in the night. Why did he stay if he didn't want her? If she was going to waste the chance he gave her why did he care? He caressed her face, remembering so long ago. The young demoness who defied reason, followed him into the world when he could offer her nothing. This was that girl turned woman. By the time the little demon stirred and he was alone with the female again. “Why don't you wake up Tsune? I... I miss you... Please... Please wake up?” The youkai could hear the child crying softly as he walked slowly away from the village. As he got to the edge of the forest and looked up at the moon he could hear the tiny demon shouting, the sound stalled him. He would not even admit it to himself but he hoped the shouting was because Tsune had woken. He could hear the commotion, even at that distance, for a moment he considered just leaving, going back to Rin and Jaken, forgetting this woman was here. The whore his enemy had made of a woman he had forgotten before. “She's stopped breathing!!” The words were clear as the peal of a bell to him, even over the distance he'd walked. His eyes were like fire in the night as he looked back at the village, he was back to the hut in the blink of an eye. The tiny demon was screaming and crying, his brother stood silently outside and he slipped into the hut, neither inu said a word. 

He grabbed the limp body roughly and pulled her to his chest. Suddenly it didn't matter to him if he lost his composure as his arm gripped her to his chest. Those who had been inside the hut quickly left, seeing the red eyes squeeze closed, not knowing if the demon would lash out. Even to him, it was like a different demon took over his body as an anguished howl ripped out of him as he realized he couldn't hear her heartbeat. “Tsune, I will avenge you, and your parents.” He hissed quietly to her, curling over the limp form. Overcome by emotion for just a moment he ran his clawed hand up her back and her hair, lifting her head to press his lips against hers, still warm and soft. He laid her back down, spreading her respectfully back out as though she were sleeping. As he moved to leave a strangled wheezing cough slipped from her and his head snapped towards the noise, he could just barely hear it in the deafening silence. The slow but recovering sound of her heart, beating again as she took a ragged breath. He descended on her again, lifting her once more into his arm, pressing his lips against her more firmly this time, her heart picked up it's pace.

She was soft and weak, as he retreated slightly her lips parted as words escaped with her breath. “My lord... it is... below your station...” He looked down at her, nearly smiling. “Do you object?” He asked her back, gently reciting a long forgotten conversation, pushed from his mind but now it flooded back with her words. “No my lord...” He nuzzled her face tenderly and spoke once more. “I will return for you when you have recovered.” She nodded sleepily, fingers weakly gripping his pant leg. “Yes Lord Sesshomaru.” His name was like a chant on her lips, giving her strength, a purr in her voice as her closed eyes drifted open. He stalled to lay her delicately back on the mat and her eyes closed again, a tiny lick of a smile on her lips. He left in a hurry, not saying anything to any of the onlookers who had watched and heard the uncharacteristically tender exchange. When the demon was long since gone into the night the monk looked to the rest of the group. “Well... I can't blame him. I'd want one last kiss...” His words earned him a slap but he certainly didn't seem sorry for it. InuYasha just shook his head, walking away as Kaede shooed and hushed the rest, asking for Kagome's help in checking on the demoness who now seemed invigorated.

“Cousin?” The familiar voice called out to the little fox who was still wiping his eyes. He popped in as Kaede and Kagome sat back, watching, pleased with her sudden uptick in vitality. “Tsune?” He asked as he peeked in at her. She did not speak where she lay, one arm reached out slightly, her hand opening as if to beckon him closer. Elegant fingers wrapped around his tiny hand and she drug him close to her, nestling him against her and putting her nose in his hair as he curled against her. There was a long silence while the two foxes lay snuggling, her wrapping her arms around him like a mother would. “Kit?” She questioned and he fidgeted in silence for a long moment. “Yes Au... Auntie?” There was a soft, shocked noise out of her and he cringed, wondering if he'd done something wrong but she pressed lips to his forehead like a mother would. “Thank you Nephew. Thank you for watching over me when I needed it.” He answered quickly with a tiny tremble to his voice. “That's what family does.” There was a small noise from her, wet, half sob half laugh. “Yes, yes it is.”


End file.
